With Sunburned Feet…

I woke up this morning with an overwhelming desire to go swimming. I’ve only been swimming once, with Ben almost 2 weeks ago. So this morning I thought I’d go off by myself and as I approached the pool the sounds of screams echoed off the pool walls and I near turned around and high-tailed it back to the RV. “Kids”! Now don’t get me wrong, I am not opposed to children, I would rather just have a nice quiet lay by the pool and a relaxing swim in a pool all to myself – call me “selfish”, but if the shoe fits… 😉

But the call of the cool waters and the book I’d been sent for my birthday and not had a chance to start reading yet weighing heavily in my bag, had me forging forward and into the pool area.

OK… let me start by explaining, I am a “hijabi” which means that I cover from head to foot and down to my wrists (face showing), so my swimsuit is a birkini (thanks to another dear friend who purchased one for me for my birthday). A birkini comprises of a top that comes down below the bum with an attached hijab (head piece) and then a pair of pants. Now… the first time I wore it and went swimming with Ben, I found that I had an issue with it, er… floating up… exposing my back, totally defeating the entire objective of modesty. I wondered what these two pieces of string was on both sides of the inside of the top, then clued in when I discovered two loops on the pants. Ahhhhh tie the top to the bottom… duh!

So as I walk towards the pool, the three children (two teenage sisters and a younger brother) stop mid-play and all turn with avid curiosity at this woman dressed from head-to-foot in a beautiful navy blue and hot pink suit. The silence that was now prevalent from these children who were, just a few minutes before, quite loud was honestly quite funny. But I found my chair right by the hot tub and a deck chair right there too, and made myself quite comfy and got lost in the book.

And then… the splashing began. These children had obviously gotten over their curious shock and were back at play – with one eye constantly in my direction. I think they may have found it a wee bit “strange” when I turned my deck chair around… in the direction of the sun. Well heck, I wasn’t going to just burn my feet when I’ve a perfectly good face and hands/forearms to burn too. Ahhh time for a wee bit of meditation. The breeze was up and with the pool behind me and hot tub in front of me, I was lost in my mindless meditation and falling deeper and deeper into the space of Zen peace and then… the German’s arrived. Lovely couple from Berlin who I’ve been saying “Hello” to for the past couple of afternoons as we’re taking Winston for his evening walk. I guess that broke the ice with the children and their father – this strange woman all covered up actually speaks… and speaks English too!

I turn my deck chair around and try to get back into my book when the father asks me where I am from. “Hong Kong” I reply and that same look of shock and confusion that I always get when I tell people I am from Hong Kong flashes across his face. “But… you speak English!” Errr yes… So I go into my routine of how Hong Kong was a British Colony until 1997 to which he says “Yes, I know that… But… You speak English” Aie yah… This one is a bright spark. Then I explain that I’ve also lived in Australia and Canada to which he first says “Oh well that explains you speaking English… Boy, you sure are a traveller…” I’m so taken aback by his reasoning that I speak English from having lived in Australia and Canada that I near overlook his second statement.

I think that people in a fair few parts of the world honestly believe that Hong Kong is such a completely foreign land that no one speaks English and that it’s a third-world country (yep, had that one before). The fact that you explain that Hong Kong was a British Colony has them envisioning slaves to British rule and “yessir, no-sir, three bags full sir…” After a long while, it does get a wee bit tedious.

But they left just after 1 PM and I finally had my chance to get into the pool and have a lovely swim all by myself. The water was so gorgeous, just a little under bath water warm and I really enjoyed myself. Sat back on my deckchair and let the heat and lack of humidity dry me off before I hit the showers.

Owwie…

As I peeled my birkini off in the shower, I noticed the distinct difference in skin colour of my feet and ankles to the rest of my legs. It looked like I had a pair of pinkish brown socks on! Come home and hydrate and about an hour later go to the bathroom… Catch site of myself in the mirror and the shock runs through me… I am rather burned… My poor feet are toasted red. Just about to break out the apple cider vinegar to soothe the burn and now itch. I might just give tomorrow a wee bit of a break from the pool and let this burn soothe and be a nice undercoat for the next trip down to the pool.

It was a really gorgeous day and I had such a lovely time. This escapee living has something to it, feeling like you’re living on holiday every single day, it’s just wonderful… Except the sunburn…

What…? But You Said You Were Vegan…

Yep… I BBQ too…

Why is it that people think that when you’re vegan, you don’t BBQ? Obviously from this blog, it’s evident that I absolutely love BBQ-ing! So, tonight, what did we have for dinner? Yup BBQ. 🙂

What was on the menu tonight? Oh my goodness gracious me, it was super yummy! Ooops I digress… mouth was having a quick flash-back to dinner… 

Ooops… Was so hungry I almost forgot to take a photo for you all!

Acorn squash, round zucchini, onion wedges, sweet corn on the cob, potatoes (lightly spiced and cooked in aluminium foil with a bit of vegan butter), and vegan burgers. I flavoured the acorn squash with salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder with butter and started off with cooking it in the aluminium foil – but the foil kept opening so thought “sod this” and took them out the foil and put them direct on the grill – best thing about that was the butter had almost all melted so poured it over the squash ummmm. I did pretty much the same with everything else (spice-wise) except adding paprika to the potatoes, onions and zucchini with the addition of smoked paprika to the onions. With the burgers, I did the same spice (omitting the smoked paprika) and then added chipotle BBQ sauce over top. Oh yaah… 

But alas… what would our blog post be without at least one “issue”? Today we picked up a bag of charcoal and Ben doused the coals in lighter fluid, but not everything took! So it took another good dousing before we had a good fireball and the coals finally took. Even Jack had a chuckle as I explained the “issues” we’ve been having with this BBQ! BUT… it finally caught and we got to cooking – although Ben was fretful that we’d not be having dinner tonight. 

One of the highlights was when I came out the vardo and spotted Billy the goat up round our neighbour Ron’s rig and said “Hello Billy” and he came trotting over to me at rather high speed. First thought “Oh shit! Is he going to attack?!!” With a picnic table and BBQ between us, I had a quick thought of backtracking at a relative high speed back up the steps into the vardo. But no, he was just happy to see me and eager to come for his scratch. I guess I’ve felt a bit comforted having a natter with them all while they’re in their pens with a fence between us. But a goat on the loose high trotting it over for a visit…

Vegan candy being sold at Walmart – and only $1!!!

He’s a damn smart cookie though as he realised that he was not able to get round to me with a table and BBQ in between us, so I told him to walk round the table and BBQ and he totally listened to me! Came for a quick scratch behind the ears and then proceeded to munch on the Nopales cactus right behind the picnic table.  Jack came over for a quick visit with Cleo (who I’d been erroneously Chloe) and I told him about Billy’s rushing over to visit and he told me that he only does that with people he knows and likes. Yep… I beamed. Billy the goat likes me! 😀

Even says “VEGAN” right there on the packet! It’s kind of like Starburst candy, but not quite.

Popped up to Anthem today to hit-up Walmart and while we’re checking out, Ben picks up a packet of sweets and gets all excited and exclaims “WOW! These are vegan – even say’s it right there on the packet…!” That’s a pretty big thing for Walmart! Noticed it first with the new packet of Earth Balance (butter), but it’s still a novelty.

If I thought simply wearing hijab to Walmart out here brought out people staring, wearing full abaya (long dress) and hijab brings people to a literal mouth-gaping-open standstill… C’mon, I wore my nicest abaya today and all – they must have been mesmerized by the beautiful designs over it… 😉

It was a rather uneventful day all-in-all other than getting up to “the big smoke”, an incredibly delicious BBQ dinner, and Billy the goat near making me pee my pants with momentary thoughts of being mauled by a goat… But while I love it out here, and Billy the goat is a huge anchor (ha!), I’ve been feeling my feet itching… Ready to move on to the next destination and adventure… Could be the heat getting to me or has the wind changed direction and it’s calling deep within my soul…?

Losing a Trusted Friend…

Obituary…

It is with great sorrow and profound sadness (especially after cognition that there shall be no more water boiled for tea [and less painfully, for dishes] or mug cakes made), that we report to you that after 8 1/2 years of dedicated and devoted service, offered with only love to please in his mechanical heart, our dear microwave died suddenly, and without cause or provocation this afternoon after his final act of service… boiling noodles for spaghetti. Several attempts at resuscitation were made but were in vain.

In lieu of flowers, and proficient disposal of dear microwave, donations are being accepted in order to replace said microwave…

RIP dear friend…

RV Vegan Cooking: Seitan Char Siu (BBQ Vegan Pork)

Now does this look like authentic meat or what? Very authentic in taste and 100% plant-based

Oh yes, I am obviously enjoying the break from crockpot cooking as we used the BBQ again tonight in an experimentation that went very well. 😉 Tonight’s dinner was a combination of Ben and my cooking. I did all the prep work and Ben BBQ’d it all. I only turned the seitan over on the BBQ and turned the veggies over while Ben got busy working on something with the car, but other than that… he took care of it. 😉

When Ben first married me, I introduced him to a lot of authentic Chinese food. I remember at one point his father came over to visit and he opened up one of our cupboards and pulled out a few items and said to his Dad “In all my life, I never would have thought that I would have something that looks like black wiry hair or seaweed in my pantry!” Those early day introductions were sometimes quite “interesting” dinners for this poor meat-and-potatoes American boy. But 10 years later, he’s as comfortable with many of these items as I am.

One of Ben’s absolute favourite dishes (from our pregan and non-Muslim days) was char siu – roast BBQ pork – often found in dim sum restaurants and hanging up in the window of the restaurant kitchen along with hanging roast duck and chicken. I’ve made char siu in vegan version before, but never on the BBQ which gives it that added authentic flavour and crispiness of the flame roasted parts. This is one dish that Ben gets an actual craving for, and thank goodness I’ve developed a recipe that satisfies his appetite and craving. But, as I mentioned above, tonight was the first time I’ve actually made it on the BBQ, and oh my goodness gracious me… I am in very much love. 🙂

In fact, the smell of the food cooking wafted over some great distances… Just before dishing up and sitting down to dinner, I took Winston for a walk down to the doggie park. On the way back, I hit the area just before the swimming pool and oh my! My olfactory senses were in a heady spin and my stomach began to talk to me quite loudly as I could smell our BBQ’d food all the way down at the swimming pool. I wonder what others in the park who know we are vegan must think when they get hit with the delicious scent of what is cooking on our BBQ…? I wonder if they get jealous! lol

It’s a bit of a haul in preparing the seitan, and quite honestly, I suggest making the seitan ahead of time and then keeping in the fridge overnight, but if you didn’t have a chance to do this, then it’s no problem cooking it earlier in the day and then putting it on the BBQ.

Here is the recipe…

Char Siu BBQ Seitan

2 1/2 cups vital wheat gluten flour
1/2 cup plain white flour
1 packet “Hor” brand Char Siu marinade mix
1 TBSP garlic powder
1 TBSP onion powder
1 1/2 cups cold water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 TBSP tomato paste
3 TBSP light soy sauce (or Tamari)

1. Mix dry ingredients together until very well combined. In a separate bowl, mix together all the wet ingredients until very well combined. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and mix together until it combines into a glutenous dough. Knead for 5-10 minutes. Set aside and let it rest for 20-25 minutes. Shape it into a log that resembles a piece of meat.
2. In a crockpot, add 1 1/2 cups cold water, 1 TBSP each onion and garlic powder and 3 TBSP Hoisin sauce. Mix very well. Add the seitan log into the crockpot and cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours until cooked through. At the half-way point (either 1 1/2 or 2 hours) turn over the seitan log and resume cooking.
3. Once seitan is cooked through, remove from crockpot to a large tray. Pour 2 TBSP Hoisin sauce and 1 TBSP sesame seed oil over the seitan and let sit while the BBQ is heating up. Once BBQ is hot, add the seitan and cook on BBQ for 15-20 minutes each side until the outside is cooked to your perfect desire.

Rabbit sitting underneath our next door neighbour Ron’s RV this afternoon. I took this photo while sitting on our sofa.

While the seitan was cooking in the crockpot, I was sitting on the sofa crocheting a blanket – figure it’s good to get blankets and such made so that when we move further north – and when we hit winter time – we’re all set. So I was sitting here crocheting and Ben says simply “rabbit”, I look up and see this rabbit hop under our next door neighbour, Ron’s, RV. Of course, I’ve always got my camera handy, and had to snap a couple of pics. I’m still in awe of this wildlife that is so close and living among it all.

RV Vegan Cooking: The Compassionate BBQ

It’s Memorial Day weekend and with the site full of weekend campers, I decided that it was definitely time to BBQ along with all the other campers BBQ-ing this weekend. But what do vegans actually BBQ? Of course, the obvious comes to mind, but what about that which is not so obvious? How do vegans who had been avid carnivores and never stopped loving the taste of meat, but simply choose to not eat it for ethical reasons, BBQ and enjoy all the tastes that they used to enjoy in their pregan years satisfy the want without compromising values? Easy… Seitan!

I have been making seitan for two years now, and I can definitely admit that my early attempts were less than desirable, but as I’ve experimented I’ve been able to make seitan that is incredibly authentic to meat in taste and texture, and is very delicious. However, I have never BBQ’d seitan and had no idea how it would turn out. So tonight’s meal was as much an experimentation with absolute hope for the positive.

There is a church in the area which holds “Moving Markets” every so often, where they sell 60 lbs of vegetables for $10! It so happened that their last Saturday for these markets for the season (until November when they’ll restart up) was today. So Ben and I were up bright and early and under advisement from Jim over here at the site to get there early, were there before 7:30 (they start at 8am). We thought we’d have to wait around until 8, but were welcomed in that small town manner of open arms and we got our produce and were out of there long before 8am. This afforded us a lovely drive back through the back roads – gosh this is some beautiful country for the desert…

This is what 60 lbs of produce looks like in the fridge…

 

We picked up red bell peppers, tomatoes, two full grocery store bags of cherry tomatoes (you can see one of the bags on the bottom shelf above the drawers), organic cucumbers, zucchini, some strange looking squash that it supposed to be zucchini but had weird long necks to some of them and others are round like tennis balls. We got acorn squash, a ton of green beans, and two Mexican melons. I was worried it wouldn’t fit into the fridge, and actually had to put some things in the fridge door.

But with this wonderful “score” today, I knew what I was going to make; and quite frankly, after 3 1/2 weeks of crockpot cooking, I was SO ready for a change, and BBQ was the perfect reprieve… BBQ kebabs…! Oh yeah! And holy crap the seitan tasted just like meat after being on the BBQ! Ben was in complete heaven eating in complete silence in his enjoyment.

I made two kinds of kebabs, one had the “meat” in it, but then I ran out of “meat” so made four skewers with just red pepper, cherry tomato, and onions. Oh and skewers… of course I didn’t have any skewers in the house and my lovely metal ones with wooden handles… seems like I left them behind in the apartment. URGH! SO unhappy about that. 😦  BUT… what did I have in the house which made a perfect substitute? Disposable bamboo chopsticks – not the kind that are stuck together at one end which you have to pull apart, but these are individual bamboo sticks. Without a sharper point, you do have to be careful working your veg and seitan onto the skewers, but they do work perfectly. Oh and you do need to soak them in water for about 1 hour before you use them – this prevents the wood from burning.

To make the seitan, look at my recipe earlier on this blog for my Seitan Pot Roast for the recipe for the seitan – although for this particular recipe, I did not use Diet Coke, I used 2 1/2 cups of vital wheat gluten, 1 cup plain flour, 2 cups water – you do not want the mixture wet in the least, so if you need to add more vital wheat gluten to get a firm texture then do so. I cooked it in the crock pot with 1 cup cold water, 3 TBSP Tamari, 3 cloves garlic (sliced) and 1 onion (sliced). I set it to HIGH and cooked it for approximately 5 hours. Half way through, I turned the seitan over in the liquid. After it cooked, I let it sit in the liquid until it was cool and then moved to the fridge. Keep it (at least 24 hours) in the liquid you cook it in. Wait until it has sat in the fridge for at least 24 hours before using it as meat.

For the marinade on the kebabs (I marinated the vegetables (except tomatoes) and the seitan in this for about 2 hours):

3 cloves garlic
3 TBSP Tamari
3 TBSP vegetable oil (can substitute olive oil)
1/2 cup cold water
Juice from 1/2 lemon
1 TBSP garlic powder
1 TBSP onion powder
1 TBSP cumin powder
1 TBSP coriander powder
1 TBSP Middle Eastern Seven Spice powder

Place all ingredients into the food processor and blend until completely smooth.

I also cooked the green beans on the BBQ. I cut the tips off the green beans, put them in a sheet of aluminium foil, added salt pepper, garlic and onion powder, a little smoked paprika, and vegan butter. Wrap it all up and pop the parcel onto the BBQ.

Now it did not end there because I also made a dessert… I took two apples and chopped them into small cubes. In a bowl, I added raisins to the apples, some cinnamon and sugar. Stir it together well.

On a piece of foil, place a large flour tortilla. Add half the apple and raisin mixture onto the center of the tortilla, and put some globs of vegan butter on top. Roll the flour tortilla and then roll the whole thing in the aluminium foil – repeat with the other tortilla shell and other half of the apple raisin mixture. Place on BBQ and cook while the kebabs are cooking.

The kebabs will cook for approximately 25-30 minutes. Baste them with the marinade as they cook. I cooked them while the rice was cooking and as soon as the rice was cooked, took everything off the BBQ.

You would think that starting a BBQ would be an easy thing to do… Had you watched us two trying to get this BBQ going… there were probably a few campers having a right laugh at us. It involved rolled up paper (which started as kindling), 70% rubbing alcohol… some twigs, dried up pine cones, pine needles and whatever else I could find around the site… a hell of a lot of smoke and finally… Ben went over to our Rollin Green Project neighbours for some liquid fire starter… Note to selves… buy quick start charcoal (we’re using what was left in the RV when we bought it – for all we know, it’s 10 years old!) and fire starter liquid… Oh… and a thermal fire proof  apron so that I don’t burn my boobs! Yep… each time I went close to the BBQ to turn the kebabs, my boobs were on fire – I have mentioned before how short I am yes? Apparently, my boobs are at hot charcoal level… ouch!

But… dinner was great and new lessons learned on how to start a BBQ. Now thinking what I’m going to make on the BBQ tomorrow night.

In other news this week, my birkini (swimsuit) which my good friend Donna bought for me for my birthday earlier this month finally arrived on Thursday. Must say, we had to file an official complaint with DHL… The delivery person came round on Wednesday, and couldn’t be bothered to find our lot or walk the 50 feet to the main office building and instead dropped it off at one of the cabins under the door mat to it. Jack (the owner here) found it on his morning rounds on Thursday. URGH! Stress over regarding that, but yaay! It’s here and I finally got to go swimming for the first time in years. What a wonderful time that was too.

Earlier, I took Winston out and spotted a vulture flying overhead. Grabbed some good pics of it too. SO love my camera and the zoom it gets (I’ve a Nikon Coolpix L110).

Here are a few more photos of the vulture soaring overhead… It is just so peaceful to sit and watch.

A Few More Desert Scenes

I really am learning a lot from Jim about the different desert plants and such out here. Last evening, and this afternoon, he brought be two teeny tiny flowers from little vines that grow around the desert. He explained that most people will never see them because they don’t open their eyes and these guys really are tiny.

This gorgeous little cluster of flowers are the ones that Jim brought for me to see this afternoon. They are truly beautiful and teeny tiny. SO cute.

This gorgeous little cluster of flowers are the ones that Jim brought for me to see this afternoon. They are truly beautiful and teeny tiny. SO cute.

This gorgeous little cluster of flowers are the ones that Jim brought for me to see this afternoon. They are truly beautiful and teeny tiny. SO cute.

 

This was the little flower Jim brought for me to see last evening

This was the little flower Jim brought for me to see last evening

 

On my walk with Winston this morning, I got some good shots and then showed Jim later and he was able to help me identify some of the plants from the photos.

As I get more able to walk a good distance (today was not a good day and glad I got a long walk in this morning before the flare-up really set in and I had to take some medicine), then Jim is going to take me/us on some hikes into the desert and show us even more plants and uses for different plants in the desert. I am super excited for that. He retires at the end of this month, so he’ll have lots of time to do that with us.

He also delivered a BBQ to us this afternoon and a bag of tomatoes! He is just the sweetest man. 🙂 Now with the BBQ, I’m looking forward to experimenting what vegan delights I can make on it! He also told me that on certain Saturdays, there is a church here in Black Canyon City (Calvary Church) where you can get 60 lbs of fruits and vegetables for $10. Apparently, when the border patrol stops trucks that are transporting drugs across the border, they try to hide it among their load and instead of getting rid of perfectly good fruits and vegetables, they offer it to this church to sell. A good tip to know if you’re in Arizona and staying up here at the KOA or in Black Canyon City.

Tonight I think we’re going to have rice salad and I may make some cornbread in the GT Xpress for the side.

Here are some photos that I took on my walk with Winston this morning.

Discovered that this is a pomegranate tree and these are the start of pomegranates!

The start of a pomegranate – from the blossom a fruit will develop

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Creosote bush – Larrea tridentata is known as creosote bush and greasewood as a plant, chaparral as a medicinal herb, and as “gobernadora” in Mexico, Spanish for “governess,” due to its ability to secure more water by inhibiting the growth of nearby plants. In Sonora, it is more commonly called “hediondilla.”
It is a flowering plant in the family Zygophyllaceae. The species is named after Juan Antonio Hernandez de Larrea, a Spanish clergyman.
Larrea tridentata is a prominent species in the Mojave, Sonoran, and Chihuahuan Deserts of western North America, and its range includes those and other regions in portions of south-eastern California, Arizona, Nevada, southern Utah, New Mexico and Texas in the United States, and northern Chihuahua and Sonora in Mexico. The species grows as far east as Zapata County, Texas, along the Rio Grande southeast of Laredo near the 99th meridian west.
Larrea tridentata was used by Native Americans in the Southwest as a treatment for many maladies, including sexually transmitted diseases, tuberculosis, chicken pox, dysmenorrhea, and snakebite. The shrub is still widely used as a medicine in Mexico. It contains nordihydroguaiaretic acid.

Creosote bush – Larrea tridentata is known as creosote bush and greasewood as a plant, chaparral as a medicinal herb, and as “gobernadora” in Mexico, Spanish for “governess,” due to its ability to secure more water by inhibiting the growth of nearby plants. In Sonora, it is more commonly called “hediondilla.”
It is a flowering plant in the family Zygophyllaceae. The species is named after Juan Antonio Hernandez de Larrea, a Spanish clergyman.
Larrea tridentata is a prominent species in the Mojave, Sonoran, and Chihuahuan Deserts of western North America, and its range includes those and other regions in portions of south-eastern California, Arizona, Nevada, southern Utah, New Mexico and Texas in the United States, and northern Chihuahua and Sonora in Mexico. The species grows as far east as Zapata County, Texas, along the Rio Grande southeast of Laredo near the 99th meridian west.
Larrea tridentata was used by Native Americans in the Southwest as a treatment for many maladies, including sexually transmitted diseases, tuberculosis, chicken pox, dysmenorrhea, and snakebite. The shrub is still widely used as a medicine in Mexico. It contains nordihydroguaiaretic acid.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A type of Australian wattle tree. This one was jam-packed full of busy bees. It was lovely.

A type of Australian wattle tree. This one was jam-packed full of busy bees. It was lovely.

A type of Australian wattle tree. This one was jam-packed full of busy bees. It was lovely.

A type of Australian wattle tree. This one was jam-packed full of busy bees. It was lovely.

A type of Australian wattle tree. This one was jam-packed full of busy bees. It was lovely.

A type of Australian wattle tree. This one was jam-packed full of busy bees. It was lovely.

A type of Australian wattle tree. This one was jam-packed full of busy bees. It was lovely.

A type of Australian wattle tree. This one was jam-packed full of busy bees. It was lovely.

A type of Australian wattle tree. This one was jam-packed full of busy bees. It was lovely.

A type of Australian wattle tree. This one was jam-packed full of busy bees. It was lovely.

Red berries. Are they safe to eat or poisonous? Hmmmm… I’m not going to venture to find out through. lol

Here is yet another example of the beauty in the desert. From a distance, this plant (which Jim tells me is a “dessert weed”) looks like it is dead – the flower heads look like they’re all dried up and still hanging around long after they should have dropped off the stem. But as you look much closer, you see that the flower is very much alive and really so very beautiful. What a gift the desert truly is and gives to us when we open our eyes, look, and see.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A very prickly cactus – this is one species of the cholla. When one dies, you can take a steel wool brush and take off all the prickles, then you can polish it up and you have a gorgeous cactus skeleton. We actually have a cactus skeleton but never knew it was from the cholla. Jim also said that you’ll often find nests up in the top of the cholla because no predators can get up and in to the nests.
The Jumping cholla, also known as the hanging chain cholla, is a cactus that is native to the Southwestern United States and northern Mexico.
The “jumping cholla” name comes from the ease with which the stems detach when brushed, giving the impression that the stem jumped. Often the merest touch will leave a person with bits of cactus hanging on their clothes to be discovered later when either sitting or leaning on them.

A very prickly cactus – this is one species of the cholla. When one dies, you can take a steel wool brush and take off all the prickles, then you can polish it up and you have a gorgeous cactus skeleton. We actually have a cactus skeleton but never knew it was from the cholla. Jim also said that you’ll often find nests up in the top of the cholla because no predators can get up and in to the nests.
The Jumping cholla, also known as the hanging chain cholla, is a cactus that is native to the Southwestern United States and northern Mexico.
The “jumping cholla” name comes from the ease with which the stems detach when brushed, giving the impression that the stem jumped. Often the merest touch will leave a person with bits of cactus hanging on their clothes to be discovered later when either sitting or leaning on them.

Another hidden gem… these little guys are everywhere around the property here. At first look, it looks just like a little clump of grass or greens; but on closer look, you see the little flowers which are so cute and very beautiful.

Another hidden gem… these little guys are everywhere around the property here. At first look, it looks just like a little clump of grass or greens; but on closer look, you see the little flowers which are so cute and very beautiful.

Another hidden gem… these little guys are everywhere around the property here. At first look, it looks just like a little clump of grass or greens; but on closer look, you see the little flowers which are so cute and very beautiful.

 

 

 

Making Friends…

What a gorgeous day out here in the desert today. It is overcast with a very cool wind. I’ve the windows and front door open and the lovely breeze is passing right through the whole RV. Best part is, no air con today and Winston is not even panting!

Had a lovely visit outside with ol’ Jim – the resident worker here, this morning. He really is such a nice man and he has so many stories to tell too.

I’m not sure if I mentioned in a previous blog post about this “scream” we heard the other night when we were taking Winston for a walk. The closer we got to the pool area, the louder it got and I was pretty sure that it was either a frog or a sick cricket. I went down to the store yesterday and asked Jack, and he said that they’re toads and that’s their mating call. He told us that they have red bumps all over their bodies and they secrete a toxin that is a hallucinogen. He explained that the Indians used to lick them to get high.

Red-spotted toads – occurs in Southern California, mainly in the deserts east of the mountain ranges and north through much of the Mojave Desert. It’s small, rounded parotoid glands and lack of a back stripe will distinguish it from its neighbors. It often has many red spots on the body, but sometimes the red is lacking.

So this morning, I was still in bed – trying to get some more sleep from the horrendous night sleeping – or lack thereof, when there was a knock on the door. It was Jim. He’d brought me two toads in a bucket to have a look and take photos of. After, he was taking them over to the lemon/orange tree and setting them free there. While we were talking, suddenly this “chirping” sound came out of the bucket. These little guys actually chirp, like birds!!! I was astounded.

 

 

Jim stayed for a bit and we had a lovely visit and he shared stories about his time in Vietnam – some things made me cry. He even showed me his old dog-tags and told me that they had been with him all through his years in Vietnam. I fet so incredibly honoured that he shared his stories and showed me his dog tag – which he carries on his key ring now.

He was in Vietnam for four years, and to this day, he still suffers from PTSD and pains in his body from being shot on several occasions and being blown up – he explained that he had shrapnel in his shins that when his kids were little, they thought it was “awesome” that they could put a magnet on their Dad’s shin and it’d stay! He said “what they didn’t know, was that them doing that, hurt so much”, he went on to explain that the shrapnel was in his bones and the magnet was like pulling them out.

Of course, Ainey climbing through the blinds to look out the window and watch us talk while we were out there, knocking over a glass vase and smashing (and breaking) it into the sink, didn’t help poor Jim’s PTSD. He’d just told me about how loud and shocking noises could “set” him off… Ainey’s lucky she didn’t get turned into stew!

I have met several people, had several friends even, who have served in Vietnam, and not one of them has ever spoken about their experiences there. Too painful, too difficult, or they’ve sworn it to a self-imposed secrecy – or maybe not so self-imposed.

We talked about many things about his experiences this morning; as I said, some things made me cry, but for respect I’ll not repeat everything. It was a very humbling and emotional experience. One that I am not likely ever to forget. One that I honour categorically, and am so humbled that he would share such deeply personal stories with me.

Soon the topic drifted away, and we talked about the different cacti and the fruits they produce. He told me that he would bring us some cactus fruit when they’re ready for harvest and teach us how to eat them. He said that he’d teach us how to live off the desert, and that one truly can live off the desert if they know what they’re looking for. I’m excited to try some of these fresh cactus fruits! Let’s hope he gets to them before the birds do.

Ben hung one of my wind chimes up on the tree here – I did get permission from Jim to do so as the website had said to not hang anything from any trees. He said that the KOA doesn’t want people hanging washing lines from RV to trees with lines of clothes drying, he exlained that they don’t want us looking “like trailer trash”! lol

My windchime sounds lovely, and I don’t think it’s ever had such a workout living down in the Valley. The green of my windchime blends in nicely with the green of the tree so it’s very subtle.

Last evening, I took Winston down to the dog park and brought my camera with me. Just observing, and taking photos of, all the wildlife, it was absolutely blissful. It’s almost like each time you step foot outside the door, take a walk, or even sit in the house here and just tune everything out and tune nature (which is all around you) in, you’re living in a state of absolute meditation. I’ve never felt so at peace. Even with the stress of finances, and lacking food, no running water and all that “stuff”, it’s almost as if it all becomes “blah blah blah” with no real ability to “touch” us in this meditative bliss we’re surrounded in.

I’m comfortable here. I’m happy. I feel fulfilled. I have my husband, our four furry kids and our own home on wheels – and I feel like the wealthiest woman in the world. We’re starting to meet people here and make friends. Last night, we had some neighbours from “The Rollin’ Green Project” (a film documentary) come over to visit. Rick was helping us figure a leak in the back and where it comes from – seems like we’ve a potential crack in the black tank (urgh) and Ben was helping Samantha with websites and such. They’re such cool people, they “speak our language” and we’re so much alike. It was a lovely visit and I think we should organize a pot luck of sorts. 🙂 https://www.facebook.com/TheRollinGreenProject?fref=ts

I have to say that this place SO feels like home, I’d even be willing to stay put here for a while with no complaint. I am SO loving the people here – this “small town” friendliness from the residents here and long-term visitors… it’s what I’ve missed living in the Valley for 10 years. SO SO SO happy! 🙂

Here are some photos taken on my walk with Winston last evening…

Saguaro cactus. Right under the crown of flowers “halo” on the tops, are the fruits coming into being. I can’t wait to give them a try.

 

 

 

 

 

 

And… A Bobcat in the BBQ…

Popped out to Anthem to grab some much needed cat food and toilet paper this afternoon – note to those shopping at Walmart Anthem – yes, I am a Muslim woman… Yes, that is a headscarf (commonly known as a “hijab”) on my head… NO! I am not a terrorist, so when I smile at you and say “hello”, I mean just that, a friendly “hello”. I’m there to grab these essentials just as you are grabbing essentials, and I do not have a bomb strapped to my chest… that’s all boobies…

I honestly do not think that people in Anthem have ever seen a Muslim woman wearing hijab… and seriously, I looked uber cute today too… *sigh*

On the way back, we pull into the campgrounds and the strong and pungent scent of cat pee flooded our olfactory senses. I cleaned out the litter this morning, but pretty sure we chucked that garbage bag, and why were we smelling it so strongly just then…?

Hmmmm… an investigation needed to be ensued…

Had Ben drop me off at the main building and office so I could check the mail box, and had a little talk with the owner of the KOA, Jack. Asked him why it smelled so strongly of cat pee, specifically in that one area. That’s when he told me that we do have feral cats here, but more so, bobcats.

He then informed me that one of the campers found a bobcat in his BBQ the other night. He’d just finished cooking and gone inside to eat, when he heard noises coming from his site outside. He popped his head out to investigate and found a bobcat right in his BBQ! That must have been one hungry bobcat.

I asked him where this was located in the camp – prepared to make mental note to avoid that area (I was mauled by one of our cats several years ago which put me into the hospital undergoing 2 emergency surgeries); when Jack informed me that “Ron” was our immediate neighbour… Yes, pretty evident Ben and I keep pretty much to ourselves as we’ve not met our neighbours yet. So yeah, we’ve bobcats in the very immediate area… this now makes my late-night walks out with Winston just that much more nerve-wracking…

Talking about cats, our baby Ezmi turned 1 year old today. How fast time has passed and yet, seems like she’s been with us forever.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY EZMI!!!

Arranged our steamer trunks today – well, our TV sits on one and so we were thinking of putting the other one in the storage bin underneath the RV, but it actually fits in perfectly in front of the TV and can be used as a puffey for our feet. Although I’d eventually like to get some (East) Indian-inspired pillows for it – if you have any you want to part with… 😉

Winston flashing a huge grin… photo-bomb!

Came home from talking with Jack and Jim in the office, and was going to put groceries away, and what do I stumble in on? Afternoon siesta time in the vardo. Winston, Ainey and Nari all lined up in a row sleeping! I’ve got to nab my camera next time I spy all of them doing it, because some days walking to the bathroom is an obstacle course in dog and cats when all four are lined up in a row like that…

For dinner tonight, I made a kind of buffet dinner for us. I sliced up the left over seitan from the pot roasts I’d made, made a green salad, steamed rice with vermicelli noodles, homemade hummus, together with tortillas (they didn’t have any pita bread over at the shop), and pickles. It was so good. I’d say it was a “light” dinner, but I’d be lying because Ben and I are both stuffed, stuffed, stuffed… did I mention we were stuffed? But it most definitely was a healthy dinner.

Dessert was going to be homemade coconut vanilla ice-cream – but I didn’t pick up any ice, so I didn’t make it. Instead, we’re going to have mango cherry ice popsicles.

This week my burkini (Muslim ladies swimming costume) should arrive, and I can’t wait for that to get here, a birthday gift from a dear friend of mine, and then start swimming… happy-dance for then…

S0me more pics of the kids…

Beautiful Ainey

Oh and update to the whole “skunk” debacle I was talking about yesterday… Ben’s initial evaluation was correct. This was learned after a bit of yellow mellowing, I decided to flush it down. Literally a minute or two later, the entire bathroom began to stink like skunk. That experience followed by my mad-dash out of the bathroom in frantic search for the Glade automatic air-freshener spray and pump, then fumigating the bathroom with Cashmire Woods… which kinda gave an accoutrement to the skunk smell and then just smelled like we were living in the deep woods that smelled actually kinda nice… Yeah I’m certifiable…

My 40th Birthday

Happy 40th Birthday to me!

Well today I joined the 4-0 club, and I gotta say, it feels fantastic! 🙂

Ben and I went up to the “big smoke” and popped into the DMV. With the issues to the title – some din at the DMV with the previous owner had put the control number in place of the VIN on the title, so when we got insurance Progressive could not give us full coverage as we’d originally paid for. When we passed emissions, they had put in the correct VIN and told us to take a photo and show it to the inspector at the DMV as that should suffice to get things rectified on the title. So down to N. Scottsdale we went, only to be told that we have to bring the RV down so that the inspector can lift the hood and look at the same plaque with the VIN as we’d taken a photo of to “verify” it… This will be an inspection that will probably last 2 mins at best. Over an hour spent at the DMV being sent from one area to another – got our exercise in today for sure – and we still have to go back with the RV. Can you say “frustrating”?!

After that, we took advantage of being in the Big Smoke and hit up our favourite Asian grocery store and stocked up on some much needed veg, TVP, spices and condiments – most items that would never see the inside of a majority of my friends pantry’s. But having grown up in Hong Kong (and traveled extensively throughout SE Asia) my tastes are a bit “funky” to most Western palates. Ben’s used to it now after 10 years of being together, although in the early days…

My birthday dinner was a strange treat of Taco Bell which we picked up on the way home. We stopped in at Walmart and Ben picked us up some So Delicious chocolate almond dipped coconut ice cream popsicle’s which was a delicious treat after our veggie Cantina burrito’s.

The best part of the day though… driving back home here. We both realised how living here the past week has resonated with us deeply. We love living out here in “the sticks”, away from the bright lights, big city noises, and pollution. We find a deep sense of peace here. We feel connected here – to the land, the desert, the brush, the wildlife… it just feels… right.

I always considered myself a “city girl” growing up in Hong Kong, but deep down I think that I have held this secret that has finally revealed itself to me. I love living out bush. I even love that we don’t have all the conveniences that we always had – like running water, flushing (unplugged) toilets in home… even houses so solid that a gust of wind, or a cat or dog running through doesn’t move a thing. I’m looking forward to moving further up north and going even deeper into the wilds. Maybe not forever, but for a break. It’s in my blood – the traveling, the staying where we want and going when we want, and visiting the big city as opposed to being eaten up by it. 

I’ve never really been one to be locked into conformity, always standing outside the box. While most of my life I’ve stood just on the fringes, I’m at a stage in my life where I’m ready to cross the line and stray way out… Just be and finally be me.

I love this life. Even with the latest “discovery” that the kitchen sink has been leaking and the shelves underneath are warped, wet, and starting to mold, just another item to add to the list of  “fix ups” (can we win the lottery now just so we can fix this thing up and get moving already?! 😉 ), but I really do love it.

Last night, Ben observed that this place really does feel like “home”. And it does, it really does.

So while my 40th birthday was sans huge party bash, or a trip to some exotic locale, or even dinner out and a movie, at the end of the day, it was truly one of the best birthday’s ever. Not because we had any extra money to spend, and what we did have went into the gas tank and groceries for a while, but because we got to come home to our beautiful home… our RV in the desert. 🙂

Sights on My Morning Walks with Winston

While we’re in the middle of the Arizona desert, there really are some beautiful sights to see if you open your eyes and really open your mind to observation.

This morning, I saw two lizards scuttle out of the way as we were walking. These lil guys are so cute and when they take off running, they lift themselves up so that they look almost like they’re running on water over the rocks. It’s really very interesting. I wish they wouldn’t scuttle off so fast because I’d love to grab a photo.

Yesterday morning, I saw four bunnies around the site just sitting and watching us as we were walking along. It was just so peaceful and beautiful.

I am glad I took the camera with me this morning because I got some pretty good shots. Well… when Winston wasn’t yanking on me to go in this direction or that… Those photos snapped at those particular moments… Not-so-great. In fact, they were rather big blurs… Thanks Winston.

It was a really beautiful and peaceful Sunday over here. I still am amazed at how quiet it is, even with as many campers here, they all pretty much keep to themselves (other than the occasional “Hello”) and are very quiet. And I have to say, as a woman who wears hijab (head covering) in the Islamic fashion, I’ve not had anyone give me any side-way looks or open stares (as they are known to do in Walmart) and in fact everyone is incredibly friendly. I did get a bit of a look this morning after I deposited Winston back home and continued on with my walk, from a couple enjoying their swing at one of the little log cabins; but then I was wearing full abaya (dress) with hijab and all in black no-less. I don’t know if my white tennis shoes were the main point of stares as they protruded obstinately out from under my black dress, or was it the camera hanging around my neck, or my flashy pink walking stick…? Hmmmm

Being as I am also disabled and in constant pain, I’ve been really chuffed at myself that I’ve been able to take as long walks as I have been. It’s been the most enjoyable parts of my day to get out, with or without Winston, and just have a stroll around and look at nature and meet new people. Thus far, in the (almost) week we’ve been here, I’ve met a family from Norway, a couple from Germany, a couple from England, and two couples from The Netherlands.

Tomorrow is my 40th birthday. At the beginning of this year, I decided that I was not going to head towards my 40th birth year with disdain, upset, or freak-out as I had my 30th birthday. Instead, I decided to embrace the upcoming decade with complete and total enjoyment and to open myself up to the experiences and adventure that a new decade will bring me. At that time, I had no idea that a dream and an idea that I had to one day own, and live full-time, in an RV would be part of the Universe’s plans for my statement of “adventure”; but here it is, and oh boy is this an adventure and a half. As they say “be careful what you ask for”, but you know what? I am actually REALLY glad that I asked for this and I’m living it. Even with the crappy bed which I need to get a “topper” for to get any kind of comfort, and the leaky toilet (forcing us to use the one on site), and no running water inside (sending Ben out daily to fill water jugs to be able to wash hands and dishes), and with all the rocking, swinging and swaying that the wind gusts brings, oh and living like crabs (didn’t my husband say a few years ago that the next place we’d live in was going to be bigger so that we didn’t live like crabs…?); this is truly the best experience and I am really loving every minute of it. Sure, there’s still a fair bit to unpack and organize and find homes for, but we’ll get to that and we’ll have more space to move around then too. But all-in-all, this was the best birthday gift the Universe could have given me.

11 years ago, I was on death’s door. Tomorrow will mark, not only my 40th birthday, but also the 11 anniversary of a near-death experience and being in a coma on life support. But today, I feel so much more alive and happy and complete than I have in almost all my 40 years (except for when I met and married the love of my life, Ben). This truly is a blessing, even if most days I’m the only one thinking that. 😉

As I sit and write this, I look out the window and see the last rays of the very last day of the decade in my 30s fade over the mountain range, I inhale the delicious fragrance of the seitan pot roast I am making waft throughout the vardo, and I welcome home my beloved husband and Winston back from their evening walk – thought I’d take a night off tonight. Tomorrow, starts a whole new life adventure as I fully welcome my 40th birthday and my 40’s.

Here are some photos I took today around the site here…